Crime, Housing, and the Digital Divide
There is crisis in England. Though it may seem that the biggest problems for BritainÆs own are half a world away in Iraq, there is a war of terror bubbling just underneath the surface right here in the UK. Not necessarily the kind of terror that endangers society at large, as in a terrorist organization, but the terror that all too many families encounter in being excluded from society û excluded to the point of being unable to better their situation. Three related issues û youth crime, housing, and the digital divide û are particularly indicative of the struggle for equality still going on among BritainÆs underprivileged. Despite political advances for minorities and economically disadvantaged groups, social exclusion still occurs with such regular occurrence as to be called an epidemic. If the UK is to improve its social, legislative, and technological aims taking her people through the twenty-first century, it must first endeavor to improve upon these issues of youth crime, housing, and the fallout of the digital divide. These are serious issues hindering a large portion of the British population and they must be addressed.
ôCrime and the fear of crime affect the vulnerable more than mostö (Social Exclusion Unit, ôCrimeö). In addition, crime is disproportionately committed by those who are socially excluded from the rest of society. In fact, in England and Wales, an estimated 40% of crime takes place in 10% of the neighborhoods (Crime Concern). These areas are also often marked by high rates of anti-social behavior, drug dealing and economic deprivation (Crime Concern). Despite an overall drop in crime rates, violent crime has increased 12 percent in just the last two years alone (Crime Concern). What is interesting is that while actual crime rates have dropped, 72 percent of nearly 40,000 adults surveyed for the annual British Crime Survey (BCS) perceived an increase in...